Visual acuity impairment and mortality in US adults

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Visual impairment (VI) affects a significant portion of the US adult population.
• Understanding the link between VI and mortality is crucial for public health initiatives.
• Previous research has suggested potential associations, but further investigation in large, representative samples is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between reported visual impairment and all-cause, cardiovascular disease-related, and cancer-related mortality.
• To analyze these associations in a nationally representative sample of US adults.
• To identify potential sex differences in the association between VI and mortality.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a multistage probability survey of US adults (n=116,796).
• Included mortality linkage data through December 31, 1997, for participants from 1986-1994.
• Employed Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, controlling for various demographic and health factors.

Main Results:

• Severe bilateral visual impairment was associated with a significantly increased risk of death in women (HR 2.21 [1.61-3.02]), but not men (HR 1.33 [0.96-1.84]).
• Some degree of visual impairment was linked to a slightly elevated risk of mortality in both women and men.
• Associations were observed for all-cause and cardiovascular disease-related mortality, but not for cancer-related mortality.

Conclusions:

• Reported severe bilateral VI and less severe VI are associated with increased all-cause and cardiovascular disease-related mortality risk in US women.
• Evidence suggests a weaker association between VI and mortality in US men.
• These findings highlight the importance of addressing visual impairment as a potential public health concern impacting longevity.